Charlie All Night [NOOK Book]

Overview

Dumped by her boyfriend and demoted from WBBB's prime-time spot, radio producer Allie McGuffey has nowhere to go but up. She plans to make her comeback by turning temporary DJ Charlie Tenniel into a household name. And if he's willing to help cure her breakup blues with a rebound fling, that's an added bonus.

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Overview

Dumped by her boyfriend and demoted from WBBB's prime-time spot, radio producer Allie McGuffey has nowhere to go but up. She plans to make her comeback by turning temporary DJ Charlie Tenniel into a household name. And if he's willing to help cure her breakup blues with a rebound fling, that's an added bonus.

Charlie just wants to kick back, play good tunes and eat Chinese food. He's not interested in becoming famous. But he is interested in Allie. And after all, what harm is a little chemistry between friends?

But suddenly their one-night stand has become a four-week addiction. Night after night on the airwaves, his voice seduces her and all the other women in town. He's a hit. It looks as if Charlie's solved all Allie's problems except one. What is she going to do when he leaves?

Editorial Reviews

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The Barnes & Noble Review
Bestselling author Jennifer Crusie serves up another screwball comedy with plenty of one-liners in this romance set in the radio business. Radio producer Allie McGuffey, bruised from her breakup with boyfriend Mark and demoted as producer from his popular show, walks into a bar looking for a rebound fling and picks up the Most Likely Candidate. He's a good kisser, but he also turns out to be her next work assignment, new 10 p.m.-to-2 a.m. DJ Charlie Tenniel. Though Charlie's is a temporary position, Allie is determined to turn him into a star and rescue her own career in the process. Meanwhile, their one-night stand extends, one happy night at a time. But will the music end when Charlie's four-week gig is up? This witty and satisfying contemporary tale is reminiscent of early Janet Evanovich. Ginger Curwen

Read an Excerpt

Charlie All Night

Harlequin Enterprises, Ltd.

Chapter One

Allie McGuffey knew a yuppie bar was a lousy place to find a hero, but she was desperate, so she had to make do with what she had on hand.

Unfortunately, what she had on hand was pretty pathetic.

She shoved her horn-rimmed glasses back up the bridge of her nose with one finger and peered at the row of stools at the bar. Businessman. Businessman. Empty seat. Businessman. Businesswoman. Empty seat. Empty seat. Thug. Businessman.

She swallowed the lump that had been in her throat for the past fifteen minutes. Okay, fine, if that's what she had to work with, she'd work with it. But it was going to have to be the thug, because she was never going to have a relationship with a suit again as long as she lived. Even a relationship that was only going to last five minutes.

And he really wasn't a thug. Allie tried to drum up some enthusiasm before she made her move. His dark blond hair was shaggy over his collar, and his brown leather jacket had seen better days, and his jeans were authentic grunge, but he was big and clean and most important of all, he made a nice contrast to all the charcoal suits that looked like Mark. And what Allie wanted more than anything right then was a not-Mark.

She knew she was behaving like an idiot, but given the bomb thathad just exploded in her face, the fact that she was not sitting in a trance was a step in the right direction.

It had not been a good day.

Allie had hit the radio-station doors that afternoon at her usual clip, banging them open like saloon doors. If they ever locked those doors, she was going to seriously hurt herself, but they never did since everyone had to be buzzed in from the street level four floors below. So she'd gone charging through as usual, happy to be there. As usual, what seemed like forty people converged on her.

Allie beamed as they pounced, loving the feeling that WBBB couldn't run without her, that without her there would be dead air and dust. This was who she was, Allie-the-producer, Allie-the-brains-behind-The-Mark-King-Show, Allie-the-savior. She knew she was probably a little whacked to depend on a radio station for her identity, but compared to all the other psychological problems running loose at the station, she was in relatively good mental health, so she didn't dwell on it.

At first it was just Karen, the receptionist, who called out "Allie!," but that alerted Lisa, her former student intern, who popped out of the hall looking miserable and said, "Allie, I -" and who was promptly pushed aside by Albert the financial manager, who said, "Allie, the ratings -" and who was overrun by Marcia, the two-to-six-time-slot barracuda, who said, "Allie, I heard -" and who was shouldered aside by Mark, Allie's ex-lover and present boss, who said, "I need to see you in your office. Now."

Allie pushed her glasses back up her nose so she could see him better. The silence that settled over the reception area was a tribute to how bizarrely Mark was behaving. Usually, he made his presence known through talking too loudly, dropping names and laughing heartily in the wrong places. Allie had once felt sorry for him, but she didn't now, having been dumped as his lover two months ago when he decided he'd look better standing next to Lisa than he did with her. He was right, of course, but it still hurt to look at him now. He stood in the entrance to the hallway, quietly superior, and it was such a change that everybody shut up and she followed him to her office without question.

Once inside, he closed the door behind her, went around to her desk chair and sat.

Allie fought back a snarl. All right, she wasn't territorial, but this was her office, no matter how tiny and cluttered, and her desk, and that was her desk chair, and he was making her a visitor in her own domain. So she scowled at him and said, "What is this?"

Mark crossed his arms and leaned back in her chair, which tilted so that he was almost horizontal to her vertical, and then he said, "There's no good way to tell you this, Allie, so I'll just say it. I know it's going to be hard, but I also know you're an adult and you realize that things change. People grow. Change is good." He let his head fall back and addressed the ceiling as he began to wax philosophic. While Allie waited for him to get to the point, assuming he had one, she considered how amazingly good-looking he was, and how mad she was at him, and how much she wanted him back.

This was the great mystery of her life. He was an insecure twit. So why had she fallen for him and why was she still hung up on him? Why did she miss going to dinner with him and lying in bed with him, all the while listening to him talk about himself? Of course, that had been research for the show, but still ... As he droned on and she automatically began to edit his speech for broadcast purposes, the possibility dawned on her that what she'd fallen for was the edited Mark King she'd created on the radio, not the real Mark King who sat in front of her now, boring her to tears. And that what she was most mad about was that she'd created him, and then he'd taken her work to another woman.

Mark was still waxing. "So that's why -"

Allie cut in, more exasperated with herself than with Mark. "Look, I've got things to do here, so if you'll just cut to the chase, I'll get back to keeping you a hit." Okay, that was below the belt, but he'd started the fight by sitting in her chair, the louse. Not to mention dumping her for a younger woman.

Mark sat up straight and put his palms flat on her desk. "All right, here it is. You're not going to be working on my show anymore."

The room spun. Allie dropped into the remaining chair in the room and said, "What?"

"I've sensed a certain hostility since our breakup, and it's affecting my performance. So Bill and I have decided it's best to put Lisa in your place since you've trained her. That way, the show won't suffer at all."

Allie sat stunned.

Mark smiled at her and spread his hands, fait accompli. "Lisa is producing the show, starting now. It'll be better for all of us."

"All of us who?" She took a deep breath. "Not all of us me. You have the drive-time show. I'm the drive-time producer. Unless I get the slot while you and Lisa move someplace cozy, this is not better for me."

"Well, of course I'm not moving." Mark sat up straighter in the chair. "I'm the talent."

He was the talent? Then what was she?

"And you're not fired or anything like that. We do appreciate what you've done," he went on, and Allie jerked her head up, anger finally evicting her panic.

"Of course I'm not fired. Why would I be fired? This makes no sense."

He plowed on through her anger. "And Bill's going to give you another show to produce. I made sure of that."

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Pretty Good- Highly Recommend

I picked this book up and I had no idea who this author even was. I said to myself, 'I'll get it a try.' I am so glad that I did. I finished her book in 1 day. I really enjoyed this one...and now I am looking forward to reading others by this author.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted September 23, 2013

Saydee to Ryan d Jacob

Hes not coming. Will u have sex with me? If jacob come will u?

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted March 18, 2013

Loved the characters and the story line!

Loved the characters and the story line!

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BookFreakEM

Posted January 7, 2013

Short, but still worth the time

Tis book is a short story, so the characters aren't as developed as I would like them to be. I still enjoyed the general concept of the story and read it quickly. If you like Cruise, I would definitely recommend this one!

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Anonymous

Posted September 14, 2012

Great!

I started reading Jennifer Crusie novels after I found 'Bet Me' at a yard sale. That has been my favorite so far but Charlie All Night was a quick, fun read. I love her witty writing style and although her stories are predictable, I enjoy them every time!

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Anonymous

Posted August 24, 2012

Great book!

I love this book I couldn't put it down!! A must read!!!!!

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Anonymous

Posted May 10, 2012

WIN!

Jennifer Crusie

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted April 27, 2012

Great read

Very good read kept me interested

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Betsycc

Posted April 1, 2012

Cannot say how many times I have read this book. It never fails

Cannot say how many times I have read this book. It never fails to make me laugh. My daughter's 23 yr old boyfriend flipped through my copy and got hooked. He laughed out loud as he read it (fastest he's ever finished a book).

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Anonymous

Posted November 30, 2011

Not my favorite...

Like most of her books, the book was a light and easy read. It came with some laughs but ultimately was not my favorite.

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Good but not great...

I must say: What is it with Jennifer Cruise and all of this blinking? and Pot Stickers? By the end of reading the fourth book my eyes itched and I was hungry for Chinese.
I must admit that although I did enjoy this book it wasn't terrific. The plot was ok - it had great potential - but it just didn't cut it.

A friend of Charlie's dad, Bill, asked Charlie to come to work undercover at his radio station and see why he's gotten an anonymous letter saying that something illegal was happening at the station. So Charlie jumped on board and came to the rescue. His first day there he runs into Allie - who just happens to be slated to be his producer - and they hit it off. He immediately drops his hotel and moves in with her.

It's not a bad book but I guess by the time I got through the 4th Jennifer Cruise book in less than a week I'd read more sentences about blinking that I was getting a bit annoyed. So I'd say it's a definite read - just don't read her books one right after the other...

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Very Entertaining

My Review:
This was an entertaining little story. As always, when I listen to an audiobook, the story resonated with me more than normal. There is just something about listening to a book via audio that makes you internalize the story more (at least that is how it works for me.) Although I have to say, I wasn't a huge fan of the narrator on this one.

Charlie is working at the radio station as a ruse. He is not a dj. His druggie brother is, but Charlie has been hired by one of his father's cronies to come in and investigate a letter which stated that something illegal was happening at the station. Charlie has 6 weeks to sniff out the problem before he heads back out on the road. He is a wanderer at heart and never stays anywhere for long. The only person at the station who knows his true identity is the station owner. Everyone else thinks that Charlie is simply a dj temporarily taking over the night shift.

Allie has been demoted. She was producing the drive-time slot with her ex-boyfriend Mark, but suddenly she finds herself working in the dead of night as Charlie's producer. She has huge plans to make him a star just like what she did with Mark...if only she can get him to cooperate. In the meantime, they are enjoying their combustibility under the sheets via some no-strings-attached sex.

This is a quirky little romance...typical Jennifer Crusie (i.e. it's totally fun and entertaining.) There is a broad cast of characters that make up the radio station personalities which keeps the whole thing really fun. They are a huge family and treat everyone who comes into their midst as family too, including Charlie. So, you can assume that his investigation is not leading to too many results. Everyone is simply nice and friendly. Well, everyone except for Mark, but he's just a dweeb and that isn't against the law.

I had an idea of where the book was going, but it was still fun getting there. There aren't too many surprises in this one, but it was definitely entertaining and enjoyable. Definite Jennifer Crusie style, which is always fun.

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A Genuinely Fun & Sweet Read

I love Jennifer Crusie! Her books are funny, cute, entertaining, and sexy. "Charlie All Night" has the right characters, the right spice, and a tiny bit of mystery. I really enjoyed the budding love/relationship between Charlie and Alice, and was so excited in the end! Crusie also added in a little mystery with the anonymous letter about a drug ring, and readers will be surprised around what that is about. The only thing I wish for in this novel, is that it added more into the mystery, because after all, that is why Charlie showed up in the first place.... All in all a light-quick-super cute- and sexy read. Don't miss out on this one!

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Anonymous

Posted July 18, 2011

Easy, quick read.

Very cute! I love the way Crusie's characters capture the reader's attention from the beginning.

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tmherre2

Posted June 3, 2011

great book

this book really was fantastic and the author really did a great job with word choice especially in the heated parts...

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Read2Relax4Myself

Posted April 18, 2011

Solid Delivery by Crusie

This was my first Jennifer Crusie book & after this I am a fan! She has a way of drawing in the reader & keeps the storyline moving forward. Quick read & fun!

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6861924

Posted April 11, 2011

lots of sex

this is my first jnifer cruise book ever and u mist say i thoroughly enjoyed it. characters could probably use more development, but storyline was fun and book was a fast easy read. fairly predictble and 'mystery' seemed like an afterthought to the SEXiness of the story

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6975618

Posted March 13, 2011

Super fun read!

This was a fun read, great characters and fun witty writing. Download and enjoy!

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Smoochiegirl19

Posted January 27, 2011

Enjoyed.

Easy reading. There is something unique about the writing and banter amongst the characters. A nice, breezy enjoyable read. I would highly recommend if you are looking for something that is not so intellectual and deep, just for fun.

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Anonymous

Posted January 14, 2011

Great Book You Should Totally Read It

This book was only my second Jenifer Crusie book after Strange Bedpersons but just like probally any other Jenifer Cruise book one thing they are talking a nice conversation the next they are rolling around in bed having sex.

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